Introduction:

Soft Handover is one of the most interesting feature of the WCDMA operation. In this
case the UE always has radio link connection. In case of GSM only hard handover
was possible where the radio connection is lost before new connection is established.
In UMTS hard handover is also possible when we are changing frequencies but
generally soft handover will be used when in the same frequency.
Hard handover is possible in the same frequency (Intra-frequency) scenario when
RAB is being added and there are not enough codes available on the current cell then
the network might ask the UE to move to new cell (scrambling code).
In this tutorial we will not metion Softer handover seperately as it is a special case of
Soft Handover. For more details please see Handover Tutorial. Softer handover will be
referred to as Soft Handover in this document.
Please note that Soft handover procedure could include Radio link that belongs to the
same Node B, different Node B but the same RNC or a Node B that belongs to dirrent
RNC (Drift RNC). For more details please see Handover Tutorial.
Also note that the Soft Handover procedures does not involve the Core Network. It
just involves the RNC, Node B and the UE. The Soft Handover procedure is only
applicable to UEs in FDD mode of operation.
Basic Definitions:
Before we begin there are some terms that need to be discussed. The UE measures the
cells on the Intra Frequency in order for the network to decide which cells to add in
the Active Set. An Active Set contains all the Cells that the UE is listening to and
Transmitting to. The Cells that UE measures belong to one of the three categories:
1. Cells, which belong to the active set. User information is sent from all these
cells. In FDD, the cells in the active set are involved in soft handover. The UE
shall only consider active set cells included in the variable CELL_INFO_LIST
for measurement; i.e. active set cells not included in the CELL_INFO_LIST
shall not be considered in any event evaluation and measurement reporting.
2. Cells, which are not included in the active set, but are included in the
CELL_INFO_LIST belong to the monitored set.

3. Cells detected by the UE, which are neither in the CELL_INFO_LIST nor in
the active set belong to the detected set. Reporting of measurements of the
detected set is only applicable to intra-frequency measurements made by UEs
in CELL_DCH state.
Entering CELL_DCH:
When RRC Connection is setup, UE generally moves to CELL_DCH. This is based
on the network configuration and it is the network that will decide if the UE has to
enter CELL_DCH or CELL_FACH. For simplicity we assume that the network puts
the UE in CELL_DCH. In CELL_DCH state UE generally starts with one Radio Link
that belongs to its Active Set.
In CELL_DCH state UE will generally start Intra Frequency Measurements. These
measurements are either setup via System Information broadcasted on BCH or
through a Measurement Control Message (MCM).
The System Information Block Sib11/12 or MCM contains the Cell Info List that the
UE has to store to perform measurements. All the cells in the Cell Info List are either
in Active Set and if not in Active Set then they are in Monitored Set. The network
might ask the UE to report Detected Cells. These are thye cells that UE can see but
were not sent in the Cell Info List. If asked then the UE reports them whenever
Measurement Reports are sent out.
Intra-Frequency Measurements
These Measurements can be either Periodic or Event Based. For SHO, Event Based
Measurements are generally used.
The Intra Frequency Measurement Events are from 1A to 1I. For SHO Event 1A,
Event 1B and Event 1C are important. Event 1A and Event 1C could be periodic
Event Based Measurements. In this case the network might ask that if an Event is
trigerred than the UE should keep sending the report N number of times; where N is
specified in the Measurement Control message or Sib11/12.

The figure above demonstrates a simple (cannot happen in practice though) scenario
when Cell 1 has same power but Cell 2 has its power increasing till a certain point
after which it decreases.
Now the Intra Frequency Event 1A notifies to UTRAN that a particular Cell has
reached power level above the threshold. Similarly Event 1B notifies to UTRAN that
a particular cell has power level below the threshold. For Event 1A (and 1C) UTRAN
can request more than one report for a single event that has occurred. This is to make
sure that only suitable cells are added to active list.
When Event 1A is sent to the UTRAN, UTRAN will add the new cell in the UE's
active cell list and will send an ACTIVE SET UPDATE message that will add the cell
to the UE's active set. Similarly when Event 1B is sent then UTRAN will send
ACTIVE SET UPDATE message to remove the cell from UE's active set. When Event
1C is sent, UTRAN will send ACTIVE SET UPDATE message that will remove one
or more cells and will add one or more cells. The only restriction for 1C is that there

should be atleast one radio link that is not affected by the procedure. This radio link
will exist before and after ACTIVE SET UPDATE message.
To avoid problems, Event 1B can only occur is there are more than one active radio
links. Similarly there is an onpion available in the Measurement Criteria IE that
deactivates Event 1A after certain number of cells are added in the active set. This is
to avoid sending 1A and 1C for the same scenario. Similarly Event 1C only becomes
applicable if there are more than one active radio links. The network can decide how
many radio links are needed in active set for Event 1C trigerring to start.

The figure above shows the scenario of triggering of Event 1C. In this case when the
first Event 1C is triggered UTRAN sends ACTIVE SET UPDATE to add Cell 4 and
delete Cell 2. Similarly when the second Event 1C is triggered Cell 1 is replaced by
Cell 3.
Signalling Examples
Lets look at an example where Cell 2 has triggered Event 1A and the network decides
to add it in the Active Set
UE
Node B
RNC
----------------------|
|
|
|
RRC: Measurement Report (Event 1A: Cell 2)
|
|----------------------------------------------------------------->|
|
| NBAP: RL Setup Request
|
|
|<------------------------------|
|
|
|
|
Start RX
|
|
|
NBAP: RL Setup Response
|
|
|------------------------------>|
|
|
ALCAP: ERQ
|

|
|<------------------------------|
|
|
ALCAP: ECF
|
|
|------------------------------>|
|
|
NBAP: RL Restore Ind |
|
|------------------------------>|
|
|
DCH-FP: Downlink Sync
|
|
|<------------------------------|
|
|
DCH-FP: Uplink Sync
|
|
|------------------------------>|
|
Start TX
|
|
RRC: Active Set Update
|
|
|<-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|
(add Cell 2)
|
|
|
RRC: Active Set Update Complete
|
|----------------------------------------------------------------->|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Similarly suppose Cell 2 has now triggered Event 1B and UTRAN decides that Cell 2
has to be removed than the signalling flow will be as follows:
UE
Node B
RNC
----------------------|
|
|
|
RRC: Measurement Report (Event 1B: Cell 2)
|
|----------------------------------------------------------------->|
|
RRC: Active Set Update
|
|
|<-----------------------------------------------------------------|
|
(remove Cell 2)
|
|
|
RRC: Active Set Update Complete
|
|----------------------------------------------------------------->|
|
|
|
|
| NBAP: RL Deletion Req
|
|
|<------------------------------|
|
|
NBAP: RL Deletion Resp
|
|
|------------------------------>|
|
| ALCAP: REL
|
|
|<------------------------------|
|
|
ALCAP: RLC
|
|
|------------------------------>|
|
|
|
|
|
|

The signalling for Event 1C will be combination of the above.

 RRC Reporting events or Handover events are sent from RBS or UE to

trigger the different handover procedures in the RNC. The generation of
handover events depends on the different RF parameters and thresholds.
Event 1A: A Primary CPICH enters the reporting range; addition of a radio
link.
Event 1B: A primary CPICH leaves the reporting range; removal of a radio
link.
Event 1C: A non-active primary CPICH becomes better than an active
primary CPICH; replacement of the worst cell in AS.
Event 1D: Change of best cell.
Event 1E: A Primary CPICH becomes better than an absolute threshold.
Event 1F: A Primary CPICH becomes worse than an absolute threshold.
Event 1G: Change of best cell (TDD).
Event 1H: Timeslot ISCP below a certain threshold (TDD).
Event 1I: Timeslot ISCP above a certain threshold (TDD).

Event 2a: Change of best frequency.

Event 2b: The estimated quality of the currently used frequency is below
a certain threshold and the estimated quality of a non-used frequency is
above a certain threshold; handover to inter-freq neighbors.
Event 2c: The estimated quality of a non-used frequency is above a
certain threshold.
Event 2d: The estimated quality of the currently used frequency is below
a certain threshold; start compressed mode to measure inter-freq
WCDMA or GSM neighbors.
Event 2e: The estimated quality of a non-used frequency is below a
certain threshold.

Event 2f: The estimated quality of the currently used frequency is above
a certain threshold; stop compressed mode & stop measure inter-freq
WCDMA or GSM neighbors.
Event 3a: The estimated quality of the currently used UTRAN frequency is
below a certain threshold and the estimated quality of the other system is
above a certain threshold; handover to GSM neighbors.
Event 3b: The estimated quality of other system is below a certain
threshold.
Event 3c: The estimated quality of other system is above a certain
threshold.
Event 3d: Change of best cell in other system.
Event 4 A: Transport Channel Traffic Volume becomes larger than an
absolute threshold.
Event 4 B: Transport Channel Traffic Volume becomes smaller than an
absolute threshold.
Event 5A: A predefined number of bad CRCs is exceeded.
Event 6A: The UE Tx power becomes larger than an absolute threshold;
start compressed mode.
Event 6B: The UE Tx power becomes less than an absolute threshold;
stop compressed mode.
Event 6C: The UE Tx power reaches its minimum value.
Event 6D: The UE Tx power reaches its maximum value.
Event 6E: The UE RSSI reaches the UE's dynamic receiver range.
Event 6F: The UE Rx-Tx time difference for a RL included in the active set
becomes larger than an absolute threshold.

Event 6G: The UE Rx-Tx time difference for a RL included in the active set
becomes less than an absolute threshold.

Event 7a: The UE position changes more than an absolute threshold.

Event 7b: SFN-SFN measurement changes more than an absolute
threshold.
Event 7c: GPS time and SFN time have drifted apart more than an
absolute threshold.